Areaway construction



Filed Aug. 22, 1938 A itorneys Patented. June 13, 1939 3 UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE.

AREAWAY CONSTRUCTION Raymond J. Martin, White Plains, N. Y. ApplicationAugust 22, 1938, Serial No. 226,203

1 Claim.

The present invention relates to an areaway construction in connectionwith building opera tions where windows are provided below grade.

An object of the present invention is to provide 5 a metallic retainingwall for the earth adjacent the window which is adapted to be secured tothe window frame during the construction of the building and which issupported by the building.

At the present time the .walls of an area or 10 sunken court are built.of masonry, usually of poured concrete or hollow building blocks orbricks and due to the construction of the building the earth surroundingthe area walls is filled ground and since the masonry or similarretaining wall rests upon such filled ground, the settling of the groundusually causes cracks to occur in the retaining walls, thus causingleakage at the junction of the masonry and the foundation of thebuilding.

20 An object of the present invention is to overcome the objectionablefeatures referred to above and at the same time to provide an arearetaining wall which may be cheaply constructed, which is water-tightand less subject to depreciation from 25 settlement and other conditionsto which exposed building construction is usually subjected.

Other objects and advantages reside in the details of construction asmore fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the30 accompanying drawing forming part thereof,

wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which-Figure 1 is a perspective View showing the metal retaining wall for thearea in position on the 35 window frame, and

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view thereof.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, the numeral 5 designates a wallof a building within which a window frame 6 is positioned, said framebeing adjacent the foundation wall I.

The area retaining wall is indicated at 8 which is formed of sheet metaland preferably of circular shape and positioned in an upright manneroutwardly of the window. The edges-of the metal walls are bent outwardlyto provide attaching flanges 9 which are secured to the outer surface ofthe frame by bolts, screws or the like 10. The lower portion of theattached edge of the retaining wall is cut away as shown at H toconformably fit to the slope of the foundation wall 1.

A metallic apron 12 may also be fitted over the outer surface of thesill [3 of the window.

The outer surface of the area retaining wall 8 may be provided withhorizontally extending beads M to reinforce the same and the upper edgeof the retaining wall may be flanged as shown at I 5 or crimped orotherwise finished.

Because of the semi-circular shape of the metal retaining wall the samewill fit any average width of basement window.

Also the cut away portion to accommodate the sill or slope of thefoundation wall can be made at any desired vertical point to suitconditions.

The sheet metal forming the retaining wall may be painted or the samemay be constructed of porcelain enamel or other suitable material.

It is believed the details of construction and manner of use of thedevice will be readily understood from the foregoing without furtherdetailed explanation.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim is In an areawayconstruction for the windows of buildings, a semi-circular metallicretaining wall having its edge portions secured to the opposite side ofthe window frame, said edge portions at the bottom thereof being cutaway to conformably fit over the window sill to position the lower edgeof the retaining wall at a plane below the window and a metallic aproncovering the window sill between the edges of the retaining wall.

RAYMOND J. MARTIN.

